


Porcelain Dolls

by amathela



Category: Firefly
Genre: Community: purimgifts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-23
Updated: 2008-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-16 17:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/542214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amathela/pseuds/amathela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"You're like one of those dolls."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Porcelain Dolls

"You're like on of those dolls."

Inara looked up, the brush falling to rest on Kaylee's shoulders. "What?"

"Those dolls." Kaylee turned around, and Inara moved back to allow her room on the bed. "You know, those dolls you dress up in different outfits? Seems every time I see you, you've got a different dress."

Inara smiled, laying the brush on the bed beside her. "You have a pretty dress, too."

"Yeah, I do." Kaylee looked wistful, and Inara tried not to remember the occasion on which she'd worn it. "But not nearly as many as you."

Mal would have had a fit at the idea of girls playing dress-up on his ship while there was work to be done. Maybe that was why Inara suggested it.

"You want to try some on?"

Kaylee's eyes lit up, but she shook her head. "Nah, it's okay. They probably wouldn't fit."

"I'm sure we can find something to fit you." She stood up, and after a moment, Kaylee followed. "What about this one?"

Kaylee ran her hands over the fabric; blue silk from one of the border planets famous for the material. It was out of style by a few seasons, and she'd only worn it once or twice. She thought it would be perfect.

Kaylee shook her head again, but her hands were already hovering at the hem of her shirt, and all it took was a pointed look from Inara before she started to undress.

"Here, let me." As Kaylee slipped into the dress, her hands fumbling with the ties, Inara took them gently, winding them loosely around Kaylee's neck. After a moment, she spun Kaylee around, and smiled. "You look gorgeous."

"It ain't ... It doesn't feel like I'm wearin' nothin'," Kaylee said, her hands clutched at her waist.

"That's the point." Inara stepped back, and reached for another dress. "Here, try this one."

She wasn't sure how many dresses they'd been through when Mal stepped into the shuttle. Kaylee froze, the dress pulled up to her waist, and Mal covered his eyes with a cry of protest.

"Lao tyen yeh! I don't need to be seeing that."

Inara laughed, and helped Kaylee finish securing the dress. "You know, you could try knocking."

"If I'd known you two were gonna be naked in here, I would."

Kaylee's cheeks were red by the time the dress was tied, and Mal cautiously lowered his hand.

"Do you two really need to be doing that?"

Inara shrugged. "It's my shuttle."

"And that's my mechanic."

"Engine's taken care of," Kaylee said, and Inara looked at him as if to say, _see?_

"We're gonna be planetside in an hour," was all Mal said, and Inara smiled sweetly.

"Then I guess we have another hour to try on dresses."

Mal mumbled something about engines and mechanics and pay after that, and Inara waited until he was gone to turn Kaylee back around.

"This one," she said, looking Kaylee up and down. "You should keep this one."


End file.
